Annapolis lawmakers make case for funding
$750K sought to pay for city services for state buildings
Annapolis officials have long asked Maryland’s governor to increase funding for city services provided to the state capital, but this past week they asked lawmakers to support legislation that would mandate and increasethat funding.
Speaker of the House Mike Busch and Annapolis lawmakers Del. Alice Cain and Sen. Sarah Elfreth have proposed House and Senate bills to require $750,000 in annual funding to the city with increases based on the consumer price index starting in fiscal 2022. It would not require funding in the fiscal 2020 budget.
City leaders say it is expensive to provide services to buildings that don’t pay property taxes.
“It is a great honor to serve as the mayor of our state’s capital, and we are privileged to be the seat of our state government,” said Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. “That privilege brings with it economic activity and support for our small businesses, but it also brings costs to the city that we would not incur if we were not the state capital.”
Those costs include maintaining a bomb squad, a hazardous materials team, police responses to state buildings and training for state police officers. City officials estimated about $661,000 in costs linked to those services and other special events such as rallies.
Traditionally the city annually receives $367,000 in services funding. That money is commonly called payment in lieu of taxes — or PILOT — funding. The state does not pay city property taxes despite owning buildings totaling 1.8 million square feet and a parking garage with 720 spaces within Annapolis, according to a fiscal analysis of the bill.
See FUNDING, page 6
Speaker of the House Mike Busch and Annapolis lawmakers Del. Alice Cain and Sen. Sarah Elfreth have proposed House and Senate bills to require $750,000 in annual funding to the city with increases based on the consumer price index starting in fiscal 2022. It would not require funding in the fiscal 2020 budget.
City leaders say it is expensive to provide services to buildings that don’t pay property taxes.
“It is a great honor to serve as the mayor of our state’s capital, and we are privileged to be the seat of our state government,” said Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. “That privilege brings with it economic activity and support for our small businesses, but it also brings costs to the city that we would not incur if we were not the state capital.”
Those costs include maintaining a bomb squad, a hazardous materials team, police responses to state buildings and training for state police officers. City officials estimated about $661,000 in costs linked to those services and other special events such as rallies.
Traditionally the city annually receives $367,000 in services funding. That money is commonly called payment in lieu of taxes — or PILOT — funding. The state does not pay city property taxes despite owning buildings totaling 1.8 million square feet and a parking garage with 720 spaces within Annapolis, according to a fiscal analysis of the bill.
See FUNDING, page 6
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